HL Deb 07 March 1957 vol 202 cc351-2

2.5 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will state for which types of electric machinery, apparatus and appliances they have, during the period of the China embargo, (1) issued and (2) declined to issue export licences under the exceptions procedure.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (LORD MANCROFT)

My Lords, I will, with the permission of the noble Viscount and the House, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those embargoed types of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances within which export licences for China have been issued for particular consignments since 14th May, 1956. The only such goods for which export licences have been refused for China since that date have been certain electrical generators. Your Lordships will recall that 14th May, 1956, was the date on which Her Majesty's Government announced their intention to make more use of the exceptions procedure to permit exports of embargoed goods to go to China in suitable cases. I regret that licensing information for the period before that date cannot be made available without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply.

Following is the list referred to by Lord Mancroft:

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will state the limitations to which they have regard when considering applications for export licences for China under the exceptions procedure.]

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, there are, broadly, two limitations which govern the use of the exceptions procedure to permit embargoed goods to be exported to China. In the first place, the procedure is not normally applicable to goods which figure on the Soviet bloc lists or to goods which were on those lists before their revision in 1954. Secondly, as I informed the noble Viscount on August 1 last, we must satisfy ourselves, so far as we can, that the goods to be exported are to be used for civilian and not military purposes. The same limitations are, of course, observed by all the other members of the Paris Consultative Group.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord for his reply, and should like to ask him this further question. Seeing that there is nothing in the original United Nations resolution of May, 1951, which says that Britain may not unilaterally, without referring to the views of Washington or any other Government, lift goods from the China embargo, will Her Majesty's Government pay special regard to that fact when operating the exceptions procedure?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, we will look at that point, but I am sure the noble Viscount appreciates that this is a matter on which we must proceed by consultation and agreement with our friends and Allies. There are forty-four other nations who operate the same terms as we do ourselves. They know our views, and I suspect that by now they also know the views of the noble Viscount; but I am afraid they do not all share them.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I should like to ask the noble Lord whether he will put this point to our Allies.

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, if the noble Viscount wishes me to do so, I will, but I think I could tell him now what the answer will be.

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